GAZA CITY—Following today’s announcement of an official ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, putting an end to eight straight days of widespread violence along the Gaza Strip, sources confirmed that the region has now finally returned to a calm, tranquil sense of imminent violence. “Thank goodness we can all go back to our quiet, normal lives in which the prospect of widespread bloodshed constantly looms over us every second of every day,” said Gaza resident Tamer Bisharat, 42, echoing the sentiments of millions of Israelis and Palestinians glad to return to a state of unbearably tense normalcy. “It’s just nice to know that I can safely go outside again, knowing that all is peaceful, still, and constantly on the verge of erupting into sudden, full-scale warfare at any given time.” At press time, relieved residents of Israel and Gaza were planning to spend the rest of the week unwinding, relaxing with their families, and imagining over and over being killed in an exploding bus.